1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved ski rack for supporting one or more pairs of skis on a vehicle roof or other surface portions of the vehicle and wherein the skis are retained between adjustable retention posts whereby the size of a ski receiving space, in which the skis are secured, is made adjustable to receive pairs of skis having varying widths when disposed in their usual side-by-side carrying relationship.
2. Description of Prior Art
Various types of ski racks are known for carrying one or more pairs of skis over a car rooftop. Usually, the ski rack consists of a bridge member having two or more clamping members extending vertically thereover for clamping skis transversely between two racks secured to a rooftop of a vehicle. However, various disadvantages are common with each of the known types of ski racks and the ski rack of the present invention was conceived to overcome particular ones of these disadvantages.
A main disadvantage of known ski racks is that the clamping space where skis are to be clamped is made of a constant size and often it is not possible to achieve clamping pressure of pairs of skis positioned within such space if the width of the nested skis are too narrow. Accordingly, the skis are not properly retained by the rack and this becomes hazardous when transporting same on a moving vehicle as they can be dislodged from the ski rack and cause serious injury or car accidents.
Another disadvantage of known ski racks is that many of these ski racks are not provided with connecting means whereby to attach the ski racks to the vehicle to prevent the theft thereof. Another disadvantage is that the means provided for attaching the ski rack to a vehicle roof, and particularly to the gutters of the roof, are difficult to install. The attachment clamps also often become accidentally disconnected and this again can be very hazardous.
A still further disadvantage of known ski racks of the prior art is that the ski rack cannot be left unattended on the rooftop of a vehicle with skis secured therein. There is therefore the need for a ski rack wherein skis can be locked onto the rack and the rack attached to the vehicle whereby the skis and the rack cannot be stolen.
There is also the need to provide a ski rack which is easy to install, easy to operate and wherein the skis can be clamped to the rack without the need of having to engage clamping members which are difficult to engage, particularly in very cold weather. Also, with many prior art racks, the clamping means is made of a plastic material which becomes brittle at very cold temperatures and often breaks, making the clamp and often the entire rack useless.
Another disadvantage of the known racks of the prior art is that these have not been provided with clamping means to carry large ski boards as well as small narrow cross-country skis. There is also the need to provide a ski rack which is easy to assemble and disassemble whereby replacement parts can be easily fitted.